Apocalyptus Interruptus
by v1dya
Summary: This is basically an omake of Security! by ack1308. After reading it, I couldn't help but think of what I'd do if I was thrown into the worm universe. Then, I had this idea.
1. Apocalyptus Interruptus 1

Disclaimer: Worm belongs to Wildbow. Also, this fic is an omake of the excellent Security! by ack1308.

I came to slowly, struggling to throw off an overwhelming sense of disorientation. My vision was cloudy, but the sound of running water at least gave me a clue as to my location. I could also hear a great deal of hustle and bustle, human noises, in the distance.

A river, maybe? A stream, more likely. It's too quiet, nearly drowned out by the sounds of passersby, though none of them seem to be very close. Their voices… They were speaking English, but with some sort of accent. British? Australian? Something like that.

Another one of my senses began to go haywire: my nose picked up the stench of someone who hadn't bathed in quite a while. I swiveled my head in the direction it seemed to be coming from and heard a low growl. My vision started to come into focus, and I beheld a homeless man and a dog, walking in my direction. The man looked concerned.

_No. Hell no. This can't be who I think it is._ I invoked my only power of real consequence, recalling the interlude where Zion met Kevin Norton for the last time. It was raining when it happened then, sure, but I had no idea if this was the same day. There was no sign of Lisette. But the stream, the bridge, the cobblestone path… It matched up.

I reached for my phone. I realized it wasn't functioning.

Light began to surround me. I didn't dare move as Zion descended.

Norton must have assumed I was struck dumb with disbelief. He seemed vaguely surprised himself. As he should be, since Zion usually came when he was alone.

He launched into his speech. It was almost word-for-word the same as in the story. _Of course it is. He's been rehearsing for who knows how long, reciting it to himself, because he's realized how important the phrasing would be. One unfortunate word and it would be the end of the world._

_If only he knew._

Norton seemed to have finished. In the book, Zion had fixated on leaf while Norton was explaining things to Lisette. This time though, the man had said his piece before Zion decided to look elsewhere. The golden being promptly turned… to look directly at me.

_Well, it was a good try, at least_. Although really, I should have at least made a run for it at the end. Now, Zion only needed to use his ability to see some of the possible futures that awaited me to find out that I was actively working to shave off about three thousand years of his lifespan, a problem that he could easily remedy with my death. I had to admit, I was afraid to die. The thought that all my work, all the people I'd saved or reformed, was for nothing, weighed heavily on me as well.

But the golden man didn't move, didn't raise his hand to command an orb of light to strike me. He continued to stare. The expression on his face didn't change, but the aura of sadness about him seemed to. Now I was getting a different reading off of him. It was almost… expectant?

Norton spoke, jolting me out of my bewilderment. "You ok, mate? You speak English?"

I numbly turned towards him, afraid to make any sudden moves. "Yeah, I speak it."

"Looks like he's interested in you," Norton said, sounding mildly intrigued by that possibility. "He usually only shows when I'm alone, y'know. Maybe he was looking for you."

"You think so?" I asked weakly. It wasn't out of the question, actually. _Zion has Contessa's_ _power._ Not mention who knows how many others. His real weakness, I knew, was his lack of creativity, and curiosity. He _could _have have hunted me down the moment I arrived in this world, and ought to have, if he was really using that power, or actively investigating any threats against him. But for the moment, he was just following Norton's , the first independent decision he had made, after deciding to follow Norton's advice in the first place, had been choosing to try destroying the world rather than saving it. And even though the Nine had been neutralized, it would only be a matter of time before Zion did the same thing this time around.

I dared to meet the golden man's gaze. His face was unchanged, but the impression he gave off grew stronger.

_Expectation. _I could almost hear it in entity-speak.

What is he expecting? Does he think I'll try to stop him right here, alone? Or, could it be he's still trying to play the part of a hero, and he's gonna wait for me to make the first move? Could he not be aware of my plans at all? But then _why _was he fixating on me? It wasn't like I could effortlessly fix his problems as I'd done with so many other people, aided by knowledge they couldn't know, couldn't imagine-

Wait.

An idea began to form in my mind, perhaps the craziest I'd had since I'd decided to try and fight the end of the world instead of running as far from this crapsack world as possible.

Maybe it was impossible. But then again, Zion's partner had done all the thinking for him, and after that, he'd taken orders from Norton. It just might be that he'd never considered what I was about to suggest.

"Zion," I began, "You want to continue the cycle, right? You want things to go back to the way they were meant to be." The golden man continued gazing at me, motionlessly. In the corner of my eye, I could see Norton staring too.

"Your partner can't come back. At least, I don't know how it could happen." As I said this, the aura around him projected a despair so intense that I winced unwillingly. _Well, at least he's paying attention._ "But there's another solution."

_Doubt. Incredulity. _Skepticism even.

"It's true," I began. I didn't want to stay in dangerous territory any longer than I had to, but apparently he needed convincing. "Remember when you broadcasted concern for your partner, on your way here? You partner signaled _Confident _in reply."

I couldn't get much of anything off of Zion now. I hastily continued.

"Your partner exchanged shards with another one of your kind. There are others out there, others who don't form up in pairs, like you did. They're less closely related to you, and it would be harder for you to communicate with them, but you'll be able to exchange shards. To grow, and get on with your life."

It seemed like he was considering it. At least, I hoped that he was, and I wasn't just projecting in my desperation.

"I mean, it would be nice if you follow through with Kevin's suggestions before, about the Endbringers, but if you ever get tired of what you're doing - if it doesn't satisfy you any more? Then take my advice. There's no need to end your days on this rock."

I couldn't think of anything more to say, and I couldn't get a read off of Zion any more. Without any warning, the golden man flew up and away with a burst of light. My hands were shaking as I reached for my phone once more.

"I never told you my name," said Kevin Norton, half to himself. "Nor the golden man's."

I spoke to him as I texted a question to Dinah. The response came back almost immediately.

_10%_

Well, that's a little better at least. I think. But then, I received more texts.

_10% that it ends in 1 year_

_5% between 1 and 2_

_Drops off a lot after_

I relaxed completely, for the first time since I'd gotten to this world. I realized I was shaking, even as I was overwhelmed by relief.

Norton was only more confused by what I'd absently told him. "That still doesn't make any sense," he complained. "And you still haven't explained how you knew that he's really called Zion."

I grinned.

"It's a really, _really_, long story."


	2. Apocalyptus Interruptus 2

**Thanks for the faves, follows, and reviews, everyone. In particular, thanks Ack1308, for coming up with this idea in the first place. Subsider34 and Moon Wolf 96, I'm actually not sure if I'll continue it beyond this; most of the stuff I'd do in the past would be similar, if not the same as what happens in Security!, unless I tweak the starting constraints in some way. So if I do continue it, it'll either involve that, or some more of the aftermath of the world being abruptly saved. Either way, though, I'm probably gonna start writing this idea I had for a Worm/Justice League crossover before anything else. It'll involve Zion ceasing to be a threat, as in this fic, but unlike here, a number of atrocity-committing d-bags may get their comeuppance...**

* * *

At least they've finally started to take me seriously around here.

The craft which came to retrieve me from London was cloaked, shimmering into visibility only after it landed. They hadn't been stingy with the muscle, either - Alexandria and Eidolon were the first to debark from it; Legend came next, and Armsmaster followed soon after. I could see Weaver, Tattletale, Panacea, and -Christ, they really went all out - Contessa, hanging back inside the craft.

It made me feel rather silly, since upon landing, all they saw was myself, Kevin Norton, and Duke. I could tell that Norton recognized the triumvirate, at least, in spite of the fact that he didn't follow the cape scene much.

At least their presence might help with my current task. It was amazing, the lengths some people will go to punish themselves.

"Is this proof enough?" I asked Norton. "With the resources we have available, we can easily take care of you and Duke. And you two deserve it."

"You wouldn't say that if you had any idea what I'm responsible-" he began.

"By now, you've seen my - _ability_ - let's call it," I interrupted. "Do you really think I don't know exactly what you're talking about?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Contessa, having left the craft,was whispering something to both of the triumvirate's more headstrong members. I assumed they were about to say something inopportune.

"So you know, then," He took a deep breath. "I didn't understand much of what you said, but if this is really a turning point - and the world is saved now - I could have done it sooner, if only I'd -"

"You did the best you could with what you had to work with," I said as emphatically as possible. "I doubt I would have done better, in your position." In fact, I was fairly certain I'd have done quite a bit worse. "There's someone right over there who can restore your health easily."

Now, to play the guilt card.

"If you won't do it for yourself, do it for Duke there. Or maybe for the sake of the rest of the world. That's right," I said in response to his suddenly stricken expression, "The world isn't saved yet. If you want to help guarantee that as few people as possible die in the coming years, you'll come with us."

Technically, it was the truth; I'd made a point to ask Dinah about the ramifications of the various actions I could take regarding the most powerful man in the world.

Contessa made a subtle gesture, catching my attention. I stepped back and let Norton consider the matter. Glancing at the others, I observed a general bewilderment. At least most of them were used to that sensation by now.

"All right," said Norton abruptly, "You win. Take us where you will." Duke growled as he said this. I sighed internally; granted, there wasn't anything in my store of knowledge concerning how to heal or win the trust of someone who'd been through everything the man had faced. Nonetheless, I could probably improve his lot.

As the craft took off, I looked around at the expressions of exasperation or confusion of just about everyone. Most of them were trying to avoid staring at Norton, even as they tried to keep their distance from him. Even Tattletale didn't seem to know what was coming next. But, the moment she saw I was ready to talk, she seized the opportunity.

"So, let's see," she began, "You just did something very important, something you didn't plan… And this guy factors into it somehow. You're gonna tell us now, right?"

Of course, she could tell by my body language that I was ready to spill the beans. I cleared my throat.

"Yes," I began, " It's about time that I explained everything." I ignored the general astonishment this statement produced. "First though, I should introduce Kevin Norton," I gestured towards him, "And his dog, Duke. Mr. Norton here has been controlling Scion for the past few decades."

My statement produced something like controlled chaos. Armsmaster's jaw actually dropped; Legend's reaction was a bit more subtle, but he was still briefly rendered speechless. Tattletale began to bombard Norton with questions; Taylor began to get a few in as Lisa began to wind down. Panacea, who had been trying to edge away from him before, now kept quiet, looking vaguely abashed. The three other people aboard who knew the truth about Zion all gave signs of shock at the news. Contessa's path to victory must have reassured her, though, for she kept her companions in check yet again.

I couldn't have gotten a stronger reaction if I'd told them the real source of my knowledge. Or, at least, I hoped not. Now that I thought about it, I really ought to check with Dinah about the probabilities of any particular person going completely insane were they to find out the truth…

Once the hubbub died down, I decided to get a few more words in. "As you might imagine, keeping Mr. Norton alive and safe will have a favorable impact on the fate of the world," I said not-untruthfully. The details, including Scion's true nature, were probably better left unspoken, at least to anyone who hadn't been vetted by a reliable precog.

"On that note, he's probably suffering from several health problems…" I gave Panacea a significant look. The healer immediately got up, and, after a moment's explanation, began to work on Norton. But as this went on, he turned to me.

"I asked you what all of what you said to Zion meant," he began. "And you told me you told him to start dating."

Now there was complete silence. There were multiple forms of lie detection in the room, so I phrased my reply carefully.

"Yeah, I was actually trying to be euphemistic," I said casually. "More accurately, I told him to have lots and lots of casual sex."

With the weight of the of the world off my chest, I was really starting to appreciate just how fun it was to mess with these people.


	3. Double Trouble 1

**H.E. and Yanaslana: My assumption was that once contact with Dinah was made, precautions similar to the ones taken in canon would be taken, including having her on-call for important people making potentially critical decisions. As for who the character is, I think it is Security, basically (there's like one inconsistency with the main story at present, I might edit it out…)**

**So, I'm not certain if I have anything more to add to the story of the previous two chapters. However, I had a few other ideas for Security omakes, and I think I'll post them here, if I flesh them out. This first one is a multi-parter. **

**The premise is that two people find themselves in the worm universe. Events proceed essentially as they did in Security, except perhaps that Alexandria and Eidolon pay the two people from our universe a bit earlier. Thus, Piggot's wiretap ends up recording nothing more than a conversation between the two… **

**Also, I don't know if Armsmaster's lie detector canonically works as it does in this story here. **

They began to listen to the recording.

"Ok, so we're definitely taking down Coil, right? We'll need Contessa for that; are you sure she'd give him up on a whim from us?"

"She'll do whatever her power tells her to do. We just have to hope it's saying 'Do whatever those guys want.' It's actually quite likely what she's being told, given what we bring to the table. And are you really having doubts about taking out Coil? You know what he's up to, all the torturing, raping and murdering..."

"I know, but, let's say Leviathan ends up attacking. We already dealt with one local cape who could have fought it single handedly. Should we really –"

"Coil's gonna stay outta that fight. Even without Dinah, he'll probably be able to lay low and avoid it."

"Right… Crap."

"We need to focus on taking out the endbringers first. Then we worry about the end of the world."

"Not reassuring. There's only one surefire way to kill an endbringer, and that's Scion. We know he'll get his new marching orders between this fight with Leviathan and the next one with Behemoth. And frankly, I think we ought to avoid interfering in any way, let alone going to London and talking to his controller. It's just too risky. And even if we did, it's just a bandaid on the problem. There's what, twenty of them in total?"

"Three out now, three that we know are coming, possibly three more described to us, and 11 more that we know jack crap about… Assuming they really are Eden's weapons, of course. But –"

Piggot stopped the playback. She sat, a spiraling sense of doom washing over her in spite of having heard it all before, as she slowly turned towards the ashen faces of Miss Militia and Armsmaster. She tried to keep her voice steady.

"I think that's enough for now," she said. She was seriously considering deleting all the recordings instead of continuing to listen, out of sheer existential reflex. "What do you two make of this?"

Both heroes were silent for more than a moment. Miss Militia managed to overcome speechlessness first.

"Well, either they're maintaining an elaborate deception... or Coil is a sadistic serial killer, Scion is taking orders from someone in London, there are a total of twenty endbringers, none of which are involved in an imminent end of the world scenario. Also, they might be weapons of someone called Eden…" She trailed off. "Even if it was true, _how_ could they know any of that? When I think about it, one of them must be a thinker, or maybe they have the services of one, who warned them about this wiretap, so they-"

"No," interrupted Armsmaster. He gestured at his helmet. "They didn't lie once during that conversation."

There was another bout of deathly silence. Piggot broke it.

"If we're seriously considering that they could have somehow acquired this knowledge… It's probably equally realistic to assume that they have powers of some kind, able to confuse your lie detector."

"It's possible," conceded Armsmaster. "I only know one thing for certain, after listening to that."

"Yes?"

"This is _infinitely_ beyond our pay grade."

**What other secrets have been loosed upon an unsuspecting Wormverse? Find out next time.**


	4. Double Trouble 2

A few mid-level officials had listened to the entire recording. All had broken down in gibbering terror by the end, but they'd managed to agree with Armsmaster's analysis of the tape's contents. Thus, it had come to pass that Piggot found herself in a conference room with all of the regional PRT directors, as well as Chief Director Costa-Brown.

Well, most of them. A few, evidently having heard certain rumors, had sent alternates in their stead. The others, herself included, had immediate successors on standby, just in case. For similar reasons, the president wasn't actually listening in, but would be informed of any important points by a representative, provided the latter managed to retain his sanity.

They'd stomached the first portion of the recording relatively well. Some, after hearing of the reliability of the information, were already scheming to use their newfound knowledge to their advantage. Playback was resumed.

"Three out now, three that we know are coming, possibly three more described to us, and 11 more that we know jack crap about… Assuming they really are Eden's weapons, of course. But hopefully getting Eidolon some therapy should fix it."

"And if it doesn't? Can we take him out?"

"Remember, even Contessa can't actually use her power on him; she has to construct a model of him, or something." _Who the hell is this Contessa? _"And if the advice we gave him restores his powers... Yeah, I guess that's the worst case scenario. Scion might be the only chance to dispose of them, then."

"Really hoping it doesn't come to that. Of course, they'll become docile after that, until Scion dies, but that doesn't do us much good."

"It's not like we could do anything about Eidolon finding out... We really ought to be focusing on what we can fix, not getting distracted by the endbringers. That means working to build up our forces for the final battle... And also, maybe the question of what to do with the nine."

"If Jack Slash doesn't die before two years, the world ends. If he does die, it gets postponed by, like what? Eighteen years? Seems like a no-brainer."

Most of the regional directors responded rather strongly upon first hearing that piece of information. Piggot didn't miss the chief director's controlled reaction.

"Except it was supposed to be a lot worse if it's dragged out. All that conflict going on in the interim depletes everything. Maybe the world dies with a whimper instead, I dunno. Or maybe the entity will harvest its shards-"

"But we _know _about the shards, about how they cause conflict. We know the endbringer fights are meaningless-"

"Are you suggesting that we leave all those civilians to their fate, and round up all parahumans to prepare for the last hurrah? Even if we had to, what makes you think world governments would agree?"

"Contessa would vet the plan, of course. And remember that through Alexandria, Cauldron controls the PRT. If we have to-"

The playback was cut off at a signal from the Chief Director. Some were proposing hunting London for Scion's controller in order to kill Eidolon, others suggested a crack team to corner Alexandria and ask her a few pointed questions. As some of the more careful directors insisted on consulting Protectorate thinkers, Rebecca Costa-Brown withdrew.

* * *

The two who were at the root of the mess found themselves face to face with all but one of the bigwigs of Cauldron, who played back the recording in full once more. Alexandria had to admit that they were remarkably calm, given their surroundings.

"You two don't seem perturbed by the fact that we, along with a good portion of the PRT and the protectorate, have heard these plans of yours," stated Doctor Mother, who normally showed no signs of unease, was still perhaps the calmest person in the room, Tweedledee and Tweedledum excepted. Nonetheless, Alexandria thought she detected some previously absent tension in the head of Cauldron's baring. Or maybe she her perception of the French woman was different, now that she learned the latter was no more a doctor than she was a mother. The recording hadn't gone into details about how Cauldron had actually developed its technologies.

As one of the pair replied gamely, Alexandria wondered what she should ask them about first. The truth about the organization she'd devoted her adult life to? The designer of the endbringers? The 'eldritch god' they called Wildbow? But it was they who asked the first question.

"Uh... Where's Contessa?"

"She's been out cold for past day or so," Alexandria informed them. "One of our failed experiments manifested a power-cancelling ability, took her by surprise. She should be up and about soon..." She trailed off at the sight of the two faces in front of her, both of which were distorted by abject horror.

"Then she hasn't been-"

"None of this was on her path-"

Alexandria interrupted, forcefully. "The two of you have caused an immense amount of trouble for us. If you value your lives, you'll speak so we can understand you."

Her threat, she noted, didn't seem to frighten either of them any further.


End file.
